The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will announce the verdict in the Toshakhana disqualification reference filed against former prime minister Imran Khan today (Friday) at 2 pm.

According to a notice, the ECP asked Imran Khan and all the relevant parties to show up at its secretariat in Islamabad.

ECP wants foolproof security 

The election commission wrote a letter to authorities for stepping up security, according to sources. Insiders said the commission sought foolproof security. As per sources, the commission said in the letter that personnel be deployed around the Red Zone as PTI supports may show up on the occasion of the verdict announcement.

Last month, the election commission reserved its verdict on the reference, seeking the disqualification of the PTI chairman. A five-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the reference. 

According to Imran Khan’s counsel Ali Zafar the ECP was not authorized to judge the integrity of members of the parliament. He added: “The Supreme Court has already declared that the election commission is not a court. In order to declare a legislator disqualified under Article 62 1-F, the court’s declaration is a must.

“The National Assembly speaker has no the power to send the reference. In fact, this case has become political as leaders of rival political parties are holding press conferences to prove they are on the right side. 

According to Khalid Ishaq who represented PML-N in the case, Imran Khan lied on oath and the PTI chairman, in his reply submitted to the ECP, has admitted that he had received gifts and that he sold these in the same financial year he had received them.

He continued: “The former prime minister has also admitted that he has not mentioned these gifts in his returns submitted to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) because he thinks that disclosing sold assets is not mandatory. The ECP can declare him disqualified for hiding these details.”